Ember's Song
by Riverfox237
Summary: Ember McClain goes on a restless jaunt to the Human World one day, and ends up hearing a rewrite of her song that she never would have expected. Rated K for zero bad content.


**A/N:** Welcome, one and all (or maybe just one, depending on how many people read this), to my very first DP one-shot! Please note: this is not my very first story on ffnet. I did a relatively popular Danny Phantom/Kim Possible crossover An Unexpected Partnership about a year ago that still has some acclaim. Anyhoo, I hope someone enjoys this. Please do not flame, whether you like the point of the story or not; this is outside my usual action-genre, and you don't have to agree w/ my beliefs. I'm rather proud of this, quite honestly. And if you read my profile, you will likely see this notice:

"I accept all reviews, but if you're gonna flame me, don't bother. I plan on finishing all my stories BEFORE I post them, so flaming me ain't gonna do much to change the plot line! I shall use all flames to fuel my fire-ball catapult, which I shall employ to attack enemy fortresses."

So yes. Sit back, and it is my fervent hope that you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom or the song "Remembe" or pretty much anything else in here. Fun Fact: Butch Hartman actually wrote the "Remember" song. And here we go!

* * *

**Ember's Song**

The Ghost Zone was, in general, not a very exciting place. One quickly got bored with the infinite green skyline, dotted with extremely varied islands of land and assorted doors into private lairs. Fights broke out on occasion, and that added a little variety to the day, but otherwise, it was Dull City.

With that thought in mind, is it really any wonder why so many ghosts sneak into the Human world?

One such ghost today was the rather famous popstar ghost: Ember McClain. The female rocker ghost, marked by her stylized black makeup, skull boots, and flaming blue ponytail, had been kicked out of the human world several times already by the Ghost Boy, Danny Phantom, for trying to take over the world with her hypnotic musical powers.

Now, the 19-year-old ghost sat on a random floating chunk of rock, staring moodily into the green void as she tuned her huge neon electric guitar. She sighed, in more of a funk than usual. Life was boring. Sure, she had awesome singing powers and was stronger than half the ghosts in the Ghost Zone…but still. Lately, nothing really exciting had been happening. She had been dating Skulker, the so-called 'Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter', for a few weeks now, but he was too busy ranting about his skills to notice his girlfriend's mood swing. The normally sarcastic, know-it-all rocker was in a blue funk – literally and figuratively. There simply wasn't anything going on in the Ghost Zone right now.

What was really strange, Ember realized, was that she didn't feel like _starting_ anything. Normally, trouble was her middle name, and she loved nothing better than to mess with peoples' heads or start a huge fight. Today, though, it just didn't sound…satisfying. She couldn't think of a single thing to do that might raise her adrenaline a few much-needed notches. Even messing with that Phantom kid didn't sound like fun today, which was particularly annoying; that was usually her fall-back for days like this. Nothing on TV? Go pester Danny Phantom. Everyone busy with other things? Plan an attack on Amity Park. But today: nothing.

With a snort of self-contempt, Ember stood up, a contemptuous glare in her eyes. She wasn't going to stand for this! She was Ember McClain, the Hypnotic Rocker! If there was nothing here in the Ghost Zone, then there must be something in the Human World. There was always power to be had, always SOMEone to manipulate. And if there were ever a ghost who could manipulate, she was the queen. Holding a tight grip on that thought, the young ghost woman grabbed up her guitar and lifted off of the floating chunk of rock. Soon she was zooming across the Ghost Zone, flying speedily towards the most reliable way into the Human World: the Fenton Ghost Portal.

Upon arriving at the dimensional gateway, she was pleased to find that there wasn't the usual line to get out. Often times, there would be a queue line at least 20 ghosts long for a chance to slip out of the Ghost realm for a little excitement. Thank goodness she wouldn't have to pummel her way through to the front this time; it totally ruined her hair.

Getting through the Fenton Portal was easy, as usual; the door was rarely locked, and so she didn't have to worry about getting past the ghost-proof metal barricade that normally blocked the way. She found herself floating in the familiar Fenton laboratory. Not taking any time to look around, she immediately turned her attention upward and flew through the ceiling, straight through to the top of the house, invisible and intangible to avoid all detection. Whatever she was going to do today, she didn't want a lame-o fight with that dipstick Ghost Boy ruining it. First she needed to have some fun.

Floating high above Amity Park, she idly studied the area, hoping to glimpse something promising. Ironically, there was an art festival going on in the park. The music caught in Ember's ears, attracting her attention to the social gathering. With a shrug, she turned her flight pattern in the direction of the festival, her interest peaked. What could a quick peek hurt?

The festival was bustling with life. People milled about all over the park, checking out the myriad of interesting and colorful booths set up. There were all sorts of crafts, paintings, and musical instruments for sale, and lively music played over the loudspeakers and mingled with the chatter of cheerful couples and excited youngsters. Ember paused for a moment, hiding behind a tree as she surveyed the scene. Was it worth her time to mingle and see this for herself? She thought about it for a long moment, before finally shrugging, a slight smirk on her face. What could it hurt? If anything went wrong, she would get a little satisfaction out of throwing the festival into chaos. With a snap of her fingers, her guitar disappeared, put away and ready to be summoned at her earliest command. Then she landed on the grass, cooled down her flaming ponytail, and stepped into the crowd.

It was no surprise that few people really noticed her, aside from a few odd glances. Even after she was defeated in public while she had been masquerading as a human rock singer, there weren't many humans who realized that she was a ghost. Most of them figured that she was simply an eccentric Goth girl with too much make-up, and her glow was barely noticeable in the daylight. And, as irritating as it was, she knew that anyone who thought she seemed familiar would just think she was someone mimicking her has-been self. Confident that no one would recognize her, she began to mingle with the crowd.

The noise was enormous compared to the utter, moaning silence of the Ghost Zone, and at first Ember found it hard to focus on what anyone was saying. Vendors would yell stuff to her on occasion, holding out odd trinkets. She amused herself by looking through a few of the displays, attracted by the interesting colors and designs. Humans had such strange ideas of art and creativity, she scoffed to herself, not with any great amount of disrespect. She'd never let any of her ghost groupies know that she was into this fluffy artsy stuff.

Suddenly, her ears perked as she heard a familiar type of music stroke the air. Someone was playing rock! The cheering, the guitar thrums, and the beating drums; those sounds mingled to instantaneously rouse her spirits. Worming through the crowd, and being careful not to accidentally phase through anyone (a move sure to immediately cause a panic), she worked her way towards the noise.

There was a music section to the arts festival, and Ember had just found her niche in it: a stage set up exclusively for any rock singers who wanted to do a little impromptu performing. A small 3-person band was on the stage now, doing a decent rendition of a popular new song, Burning Heat. They finished the last few chords just as Ember pushed out onto the lawn, the crowd cheering them encouragingly. Ember watched with interest as the group bowed, raised fists in the air, etc., before gathering their scant equipment and scooting off the stage. An announcer came out as they walked off, a microphone clasped in one hand and a huge, overly-cheerful smile on his face.

"Let's give the Nuclear Meltdowns another big hand!" he called out over the crowd. The people willingly obliged, cheering and whooping. The announcer waited for them to calm down before starting his next line of banter. "Alright! We're having a great time here on the Amity Park Annual Spirit Festival, hosted by SPRT 103.9, your local radio vibe! Now, do we have any more ready volunteers? Bring up your music and show off your talent!"

Ember stared up at him, a tingle running through her. Her eyes cut from side to side as she thought. Dare she? What if she was recognized? That would bring the Ghost Boy running, alright! But still…an open invitation! How could she resist? Humans were stupid, after all; it was likely that many of them wouldn't recognize her, as seemed to be a pathetic trend among the populace of Amity Park. Unable to stand it any more, she put a hand on the side of the stage, and vaulted herself over the side. The crowd cheered and hollered at the new volunteer. The announcer walked over to her, a bright, well-practiced smile firmly planted on his face.

"Well, there's a brave young rocker! And what would your name be, miss?" He stuck the microphone in her face expectantly.

Ember grimaced for a split-second at his rudeness before covering it up with her trademark smirk. _Better keep it toned down a little_, she warned herself. "I'm Ember McClain," she stated matter-of-factly.

The announcer raised both eyebrows, clearly surprised by this announcement. "Really? That name sounds familiar. Are you from around here, Ember?"

Her smirk widened. Stupid humans. "You might say that," she drawled sassily.

The man's undaunting smile remained fixed to his face. This guy was good. "Alright, then! And what will you be singing for us today?" he asked. "I take it you won't be using musical accompaniment," he added, glancing at her empty hands condescendingly.

Ember let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, I'll definitely be accompanied!" she said with a wink. Reaching both hands in the air, she twirled in a fast spin, her ponytail spiraling around her in a long swirl, disguising her movements. When she came to a stop, her very large pink-and-blue guitar was in her hands, ready to play. There were quite a few 'Oooo's from the crowd, and a smattering of claps. Obviously, most of them figured it was some sort of special effect.

Ember thought she could hear whispers in the crowd; some people may have been starting to realize who she was. While it riled her a bit that she was forgotten so easily, she knew that there might be a momentarily-unwanted panic if she didn't start singing soon. Strumming her guitar, she added a little bit of soothing undertone to the notes, calming the crowd down instantly. They all turned their attention on her.

This was it. She momentarily pondered whether she should try her hypnotic musical powers on the Humans a second time. This ensured that they would rock to her music, but she had also noticed that the cheers of those under her influence gave slightly less energy than the cheers of natural fans. She had never understood how this worked; why did it matter how genuine the praise was? Regardless, however, it was a fact. Surveying the crowd, she soon came to a decision. These were all rock fans, already excited by her appearance and warm-up stage show. There was little doubt that they would be cheering for her twice as loudly as any hypnotized fan three cords into her song. And so, she was going to do this one influence-free, and see where it went.

Waving a hand in the air, she yelled out, "This one's a classic a few of you might have heard before. Let's go!" She gave her guitar a hard, vibrating strum, and many in the crowd starting cheering. Already, the sweet juices of praise-generated energy were flowing down her spine, giving her a delicious tingle. She almost shivered with euphoria; this was going to be an excellent power-trip. And with that, she set up a familiar intro, before belting out the chorus of her most famous song.

_"Ember! _

_You will remember! _

_Ember! _

_One thing remains! _

_Oh-oh-ohh, Ember! _

_So warm and tender! _

_You will remember my name! _

_It was, it was September _

_Wind blows, the dead leaves fall _

_To you, I did surrender _

_Two weeks, you didn't call _

_Your life, goes on without me _

_My life, unending pain _

_But you, you should not doubt me; _

_You will remember my name! _

_Ohh-oh-oh, Ember! _

_You will remember! _

_Ember! _

_One thing remains! _

_Oh-oh-ohh, Ember! _

_So warm and tender! _

_You will remember my name!" _

_Your heart, your heart abandoned _

_You're wrong, now bear the shame. _

_Like dead trees in cold December, _

_Nothing but ashes remain… _

_Ohh-oh-oh, Ember! _

_You will remember! _

_Ember! _

_One thing remains! _

_Oh-oh-ohh, Ember! _

_So warm and tender! _

_You will remember my name!" _

The crowd was cheering rapturously by the time she hit the second verse. Ember flowed with the music, letting the emotions of the song sweep over her. Joy and adrenaline from the notes mixed with the loneliness, anger, and determination of the lyrics, and Ember was enraptured by the power of her own song. It spoke of a painful event that had surely happened to many young girls, and encouraged them to rise up and seek revenge on those who betrayed them. It was the one time that she showed real emotion through the pains of others, and it filled her with the power of anger. She could not even remember when or why she had written it, but that did not matter: it had the desired effect every time.

Even without her hypnotic powers, the crowd adored her. More people floated in from other parts of the fair, drawn by her awesome talent. She breathed in the cheers and excitement, feeling her power levels growing intoxicatingly. She was invincible. She WAS rock and roll!

Despite playing the chorus several extra times, the song ended all too soon for her. The crowd continued to cheer long after the last notes died, and she stood there on the stage, raising one fist above her head in victory. Adrenaline rushed through her body, and for a moment she entertained a dangerous thought: _I could take them all over! I could rule the world! With enough power, even that dipstick Phantom couldn't stop me!_ But as her head cooled, she found herself dismissing the thought. There simply wasn't any attraction in taking over the humans for her right now. Feeding off the hype from this little bit of time in the spotlight already made her feel on top of the world, so who cared about anything else? All she felt like doing now was flying, soaking in the adoration of her fans.

This thought actually caused to pause suddenly. Was she really dismissing the opportunity to gain more power? Was she really enjoying this simply because of her fans? That was strange. She never cared for anyone but herself…and yet, somehow, the adoration of these lowly Humans made her feel stronger. As if she belonged somewhere. She tried to edge away the strange emotions, a nervous tingling that almost ruined her good mood. She would have to take care of this later; there was no way she could let something as weak as this feeling ruin her fun lifestyle!

The announcer man finally got back on the stage, eager to get in a word or two. Before he could, however, Ember snatched the microphone out of his hands.

"Thank you, Amity Park!" she yelled out. The crowd renewed its hollers and cheers in response. "Remember: I'm Ember McClain!" Her blue ponytail erupted behind her, flaring from the fresh supply of praise-energy. Some of the people stopped cheering as realization began to hit them; her hair definitely did not look at all natural. Ember ignored them, a triumphant grin on her face. "I know you love me, but I gotta jet! Long live Rock 'N Roll!" And with that, she tossed the microphone back to the announcer. Then, blowing a pert kiss to the crowd, she lifted off straight into the sky.

There were not a small number of shocked screams and cries of "Ghost!" from the crowd down below as Ember McClain soared upwards. But she realized with deep pleasure that there were just as many cheers echoing below. Apparently, some of the humans did appreciate music enough to not care that she was a dangerous ghost. Stupid humans, she thought with a smirk. They don't even know how much they should fear me! And yet, she still felt some excitement in those cheers. Power was rippling through her like it hadn't in a long time. And power, to Ember McClain, was everything.

She soared above the Spirit Festival, turning herself invisible to avoid too much attention from the people below. She just didn't have the patience for a mass panic right now. Circling above, she watched the rock festival a while longer, laughing derisively as the pompous announcer struggled to regain order and get some more people up on the stage. Some of the rock fans were still chanting her name; Ember felt a continuous little trickle of power feeding into her body at the chant, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Then something caught her eye, and she frowned. A certain human boy was skulking around the edges of the crowd, studying the sky. She knew who that was: Danny Phantom, in his idiotic human form. Snorting angrily, Ember kept herself invisible and zoomed towards the trees on the far side of the festival. Why did that dipstick have to show up and ruin her fun? She hadn't even done anything destructive this time! Flying low, she aimed for a grove of trees at the edge of the park, still within hearing distance of the rock stage.

As she settled into a low flight through the trees, her ears perked. A familiar tune was wafting through the air, and her music-sensitive ears caught it immediately. She paused, listening for what felt like a long time, struggling to make out the tune. Then, with a start, she realized what was being sung: it was HER song! Someone else was singing her song?

An irrational wave of anger washed over her, her blue eyes narrowing as she turned her head around in search of the sound. Who dared to sing her music? Only she could sing her song! It was her special song, and it had brought her this rush of energy and power! It spoke of something deep within her soul that even she could not define…and, somehow, she suddenly felt it unfair that anyone should sing her song but her until she truly knew what that something was. The thought of someone else singing it, even in this isolated spot, angered her immensely. She searched out the direction of the singing and flew silently through the trees towards it, deathly intent on punishing whoever had dared to try and imitate her music.

Suddenly she stumbled upon the singer. Still invisible, she startled, reversing her flight back into the trees. She wanted to see who this human was before she dealt with them. It was not exactly what she had expected.

It was a girl. A young teenager, possibly 15 or 16 years old. She wore coveralls over a bright yellow t-shirt, and her brown hair was tied into a somewhat lopsided ponytail. A small wooden cross necklace dangled from her neck, and she was barefoot. She was sitting on a small bench, looking out at the rock festival. _Why is she over here by herself?_ Ember thought in confusion. The girl had a small, contented smile on her face, and she was now humming quietly to herself. Then she began singing again, and Ember once again recognized the tune to her song. She also realized, with a start, that the words had changed. This girl was rewriting her song!

Curiosity took the edge off of her anger, for the moment, and Ember settled back into the tree she was floating by, listening intently.

_"It was, it was December _

_A child, born to be King. _

_To Him, demons surrendered _

_To Him, the mountains sing _

_Sent down, sent down from heaven _

_To save, the world from sin. _

_Born to, die for all sinners; _

_We are made alive in him…" _

Ember was confused and bewildered, unsure of what or who the girl was speaking of. As the young teenager breathed in for the chorus, Ember leaned closer, listening for the deep melancholy and angry determination that she had woven into that part of the song. Instead, she was stunned to hear the girl's voice rise in a different tone. The tune was the same, but now it rang with joy, excitement, and utter happiness.

_"Ohh-oh-oh, Jesus! _

_He came to save us! _

_Jesus! _

_Called me his own! _

_Ohh-oh-oh, Jesus! _

_The darkness, vanquished!_

_With him, you're never alone!"_

Ember was struck dumb. Jesus? The man whom those Christian people spoke of so much? She had never listened to that story too closely, despite that fact that even some in the Ghost Zone spoke of it. Something about how he had been sent to Earth by God to die. It had never made sense to her, and she had disregarded it before. Now, though…it was woven into her song, and she couldn't help but listen. Ember found herself completely bewildered. How had the girl changed her soulful song of revenge into…something so…uplifting? It made no sense to the blue-haired ghost rocker. Perplexed, Ember could not find time to react before the girl continued. Her voice flowed quietly, singing each word with conviction. And as she came to the chorus once again, her voice rose in a beautiful crescendo, filling the air with the joy of her message.

_"I was, a lowly sinner. _

_Struck down, and filled with shame _

_But he, he called me to him _

_Without, a trace of blame _

_Now I brim with his mercy _

_My sins, forgiven, gone _

_And I know, though I may falter _

_With him, I'm never alone. _

_Ohh-oh-oh, Jesus! _

_He came to save us! _

_Jesus! _

_Called me His own! _

_Ohh-oh-oh, Jesus! _

_The darkness, vanquished! _

_With Him, you're never alone! _

_Jesus! _

_He came to save us! _

_Jesus! _

_God's only son! _

_Ohh-oh-oh, Jesus! _

_Forgives all sinners! _

_With Him, you're never alone! _

_With Him, you're never……alone!" _

The song faded away slowly after the girl finished singing, melding into the quiet of the forest around the girl and ghost. Ember did not know what to say, utterly astonished by this event. The girl sat on the bench for a while longer, swinging her legs slowly and looking up at the sky. Then she began to pray out loud.

"Lord God, you are holy. Thank you for giving me these words. I don't know what to think of these ghosts that live in our town, Lord, but I know that somehow, you will turn these events to your will. Thank you for your everlasting forgiveness, and help me to think of you more. And please be with these ghosts, because I know that they are not the spirits of the dead like so many people believe. The souls of those who die go up to be with you, so somehow, the Ghosts are your creation. Help them to see that, Lord. And please protect us in these rough times. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen."

With that simple prayer spoken, the girl opened her eyes, a smile on her face, and stood up. Shoving her hands in her pockets, she turned back to the festival and slowly walked towards the people. But as she walked, she continued to hum a familiar song.

Ember watched her as she left, stricken inside. The girl was right about the ghosts not being dead spirits; but how had THAT happened? Humans always believed that ridiculous old wives' tale, reinforced by the many ghosts who liked to masquerade as dead people. And now…the meeting had unsettled something inside of her. She did not know what it was, but something…gnawed at her inside. Every trace of rage had vanished from her thoughts as she watched this simple Human girl walking away, humming peacefully.

The young Ghost Rocker stayed hidden in those trees for a long time after the girl had gone, staring blankly up at the sky. Then finally, with barely a sigh, she turned and flew up into the air. The power did not satisfy, but as she headed back to the Ghost Zone, she felt something else. Something that replaced the greed and lust for power and adoration. Something that soothed her restlessness and stayed with her all the way to her home.

Peace.

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**THE END**

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**A/N:** Welp, there you have it. :) Hope you enjoyed. And I'm gonna bring this up now: yeah, I know I probably just threw everyone for a loop when I pointed out that DP ghosts aren't dead people. Ya know what's cool? Butch Hartman said it himself! This is a direct quote from Butch Hartman, taken from an interview between him and Zcat6 on the Danny Phantom Online Forums. (Type in DPOFPA in any search engine and it pops right up):

**Butch:** Remember: in "Danny Phantom" our ghosts are not the disembodied spirits of dead people. Oh no no. They're "monsters/creatures" from a mysterious dimension. Although we never say that out loud, that's the slant we take. Get it? We just call them ghosts because it's easier."

And there you have it! I was very pleased when I found that quote, since it verified what I was hoping all along. I have my own theories about where ghosts really originated, but I won't explain that here. If I ever finish and start posting my DP epic The Quest Chronicles (please excuse lame name, it's just the working title), all will become clear. And anyways, I think this makes the Ghost Zone ghosts much more fun!

If you'd like, please leave a review; I love reviews and I will always reply to them! (Unless they are just pure nastiness, in which case they get deleted.) And you do not have to agree w/ my Christian beliefs, but please do not be callous and leave Flames. If nothing else, I would appreciate if you simple mentioned anything about the story structure or writing style that you liked or disliked. Helpful stuff like that. Welp, I'm gonna stop yammering now. Thanks, and have a great day! Riverfox237 signing off!


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